Transport.cat

metring wrote:Per què no els hi envies als responsables de Rodalies un enllaç cap a aquesta pàgina, i que prenguin nota i copiïn coses del Japó?

60 percent of new extension is tunnels

Prior to the December 4 opening of the Shin-Aomori extension of the Tōhoku Shinkansen, a special press pre-opening test ride was held on October 29, with a train making a round-trip on the new track between Hachinohe and Shin-Aomori Stations.

After departing Morioka Station, where preparations are continuing for the 120th anniversary celebration of the station's opening on November 1, at Hachinohe Station I transferred to the special train for the pre-opening test ride, which doubled as an operator training run. At Hachinohe Station, a panel advertising "36 days until the opening of the full length of the line" was on display.

After departure, fresh concrete walls, silver-colored pipes, and vegetation along the adjacent slopes entered my field of vision. Before long, we entered a tunnel, passing the 600 km mark from Tōkyō Station. As we repeatedly exited and reentered one tunnel after another, we quickly began decelerating, stopping at Shichinohe - Towada Station 12 minutes after our departure from Hachinohe Station. Like Mizusawa - Esashi Station, Shichinohe - Towada Station is a Shinkansen-only station, and work is still continuing on improvements outside the station.

Three minutes later, we began moving again. The anti-snow infrastructure along the sides of the track changed from a side accumulation design to a water sprinkler design like that found at Kitakami Station. In about three minutes, we dive into the Hakkōda Tunnel, traveling its full 26.455 km length in about six minutes. This is the longest terrestrial tunnel in Japan, surpassing the Iwata - Ichinohe Tunnel, and third longest in the world. Tunnels actually comprise approx. 50 km (62%) of the 81.8-km extension, with the remainder comprised of viaducts (approx. 15 km, 18%), cut and fill (approx. 12 km, 15%), and bridges (approx. 4 km, 5%).

After the exiting the 19th and final tunnel, the urbanized districts of Aomori City come into view on the right side, while straight ahead is the Aomori Bay Bridge and directly behind us are the Hakkōda Mountains. Traversing a uniquely-shaped bridge looking like the strings of a harp, we slowly glide past the Sannai Maruyama archeological site before arriving at Shin-Aomori Station in a journey that took a total of 30 minutes. In regular service, the trip will take as little as 24 minutes. The columns and benches on the platforms are made of Aomori-produced hiba cypress and feature Tsugaru-nuri lacquerwork, creating a relaxed feeling. Outside the station, where work still continues, stands a 30-year-old Aomori hiba tree. The JR Morioka Branch Office's Funakoshi Katsumi (58), the Aomori Branch Store Chief, remarked, "We've finally made it this far. I hope many visitors will get to experience Aomori's natural beauty and culture."

The pre-opening test ride Tōhoku Shinkansen train enters the platform at Shin-Aomori Station. The doors are an apple-red color, while the benches feature Aomori-produced hiba cypress wood. (October 29, Shin-Aomori Station)

First train sells out in 30 seconds

On November 4, just one month away from the opening of the full length of the Tōhoku Shinkansen, tickets for opening day December 4 were on sale, and railfans lined up at several ticket counters in Aomori Prefecture. The first inbound and outbound trains connecting Shin-Aomori (Aomori City) and Tōkyō were so popular that they sold out in less than a minute. Commemorative events were also held inside Aomori City to get the festive mood started.

The new Shin-Aomori Station set to open is still under construction and currently lacks ticket counters, but about 25 people had queued up at Aomori Station about four kilometers away before 10:00 am, when ticket sales were scheduled to start.

Office worker Sakamoto Kōsuke (24), a native of Goshogawara City who now works in Taitō Ward, Tōkyō, was in line since 7:00 am, purchasing a reserved seat on the first train departing Shin-Aomori. Sakamoto went out of his way, taking time off from work to line up at Aomori Station: "If I was going to buy tickets, I figured I might as well buy them back home."

At exactly 10:00 am, after one of the employees at the Midori no Madoguchi ticket counter notified him that the order went through, Sakamoto was all smiles. Sakamoto says he also rode the first train departing Hachinohe Station when the line was extended to Hachinohe in December 2002, and was giddy with excitement: "I'm really glad I was able to get on the first train for both extensions."

Aomori City college student Ōmiya Hiroaki (19), who was second in line and also succeeded in getting a seat on the first train, remarked, "I'm curious to see just how faster it will be between Aomori and Hachinohe now."

At Hachinohe City's Same Station on the JR Hachinohe Line, one man (66) who runs his own company arrived just after 10:00 am to purchase a reserved-seat limited express ticket to get a ride on one of the Shinkansen trains on opening day. He reserved a seat to Hachinohe on a Hayate train departing Shin-Aomori at 12:28 pm, and was looking forward to a 30-minute long trip on the new extension: "I knew the first train was going to be impossible, so I was hoping to ride whatever I could get. Honestly, I wanted to ride all the way to Tōkyō, but with my back pains..."

According to JR East, the first inbound train (for Tōkyō) on opening day sold out in about 30 seconds, while the first outbound train (to Shin-Aomori) sold out in about 45 seconds.

Meanwhile, a special countdown commemorative event was held on November 4 at the station plaza outside Shin-Aomori Station, marking the last 30 days until the opening of the extension.

Approximately 1,000 people from local elementary and high schools and neighborhood associations participated. In the unveiling of the countdown board, Aomori City mayor Shikanai Hiroshi and local pre-school children pulled at the rope, revealing the words, "30 days to opening." Mayor Shikanai remarked, "The station is complete, and I can definitely feel opening day approaching."

Open-air stalls lined the event area, and a special stew featuring the local Aomori breed of free-range chicken, Shamo Rock, was provided for free, enough to feed 1,000 people. Kimura Saeko (15), a first-year student at Aomori West High School, commented, "I want to take the Shinkansen all the way to Ōsaka to visit the hometown of my favorite idol group. The less time I spend in the train, the more time I'll have to spend in Ōsaka."

Nozomi wrote:Me conformo en si los miembros destacados de este foro, que parecen tener cierta voz en algunos medios de comunicación, se acuerden del país que tratamos en este hilo